Merpeople
Merpeople are sentient magical beasts that live underwater. They are found all over the world. Their customs and habits are mysterious, and, like the centaurs, were offered the being status but refused in favor of beast, as they did not want to be placed in a status with hags and vampires. Merpeople can breathe above the water for a time, but it is unclear if they can ever truly leave their habitat. Description Physical appearance Merpeople are creatures resembling half-human, half-fish hybrids (though they are not, in actuality, half-breeds). Like humans, merpeople come in a variety of appearances. For instance, the majority of the Great Lake Merpeople colony have green hair, yellow eyes, and gray skin. They also have silver tails. It is very unlikely a human would resemble this. Merpeople also seem to be taller than humans, with seven feet appearing to not be an unusual height, at least for a selkie. Harry Potter encountered one in the lake near Hogwarts who was seven feet tall with a long green beard and a choker of shark fangs, carrying a spear. Merpeople are divided into various sub-species or races depending on where they live. The earliest merpeople lived in Greece and were known as sirens. In modern times, merpeople living in warmer waters take on a more beautiful appearance, while those in colder waters, such as the selkies of Scotland, and the merrows of Ireland, are less attractive. Society and culture Merpeople are a sapient species and would qualify for full being status if they did not, as a race, reject the classification. Although their exact level of intelligence as compared to humans is unknown, they possess many traits beyond those of mere animals. Merpeople have a developed language, Mermish, and have even created music (which they are known, as a whole, to be fond of). Evidence that the Merpeople have a thriving culture is that they live in highly organized communities, some containing elaborate dwellings made of stone and have been known to domesticate creatures such as the grindylow, hippocampus, and lobalug (the latter being used as makeshift weaponry). Other signs of their intelligence include jewelry and weaponry, production of art (both paintings and statues), and an ability to understand basic human communication via gestures. History The merpeople date back to ancient Greece, where they were first known as sirens. By the modern era, however, merpeople have spread worldwide. The history of merpeople's relations with wizardking, or at least the wizarding British government, are somewhat rocky. Chief Elfrida Clagg refused to accept merpeople as beings under her definition of the term as those who could "speak the human tongue". She thought Mermish to be inadequate as it could not be understood above water. Her decision upset both the merpeople and their allies the centaurs. Though they were allowed being status under Minister Grogan Stump's revised 1811 definition of the term, they would eventually request to be treated as beasts once more, objecting to the fact that dark creatures such as hags and vampires also claimed that status. Despite being considered beasts at the time, a delegation of merpeople were persuaded to attend the 1692 summit of the International Confederation of Wizards, where they would help decide what to do on the matter of hiding the existence of various magical creatures from Muggle comprehension. At some point in the 1800s, Mirabella Plunkett, a witch, fell in love with a merman living in Loch Lomond. When her family disapproved of the marriage, she transfigured herself into a haddock and vanished. During Dolores Umbridge's career in the Ministry, she suggested that merpeople be rounded up and tagged, as she had an irrational revulsion to anything having a part-human appearance. However, the ludicrousness of such an act was never put into effect. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry A colony of merpeople live in the Black Lake on the grounds of Hogwarts Castle. They played a role in the Second Task of the 1994 Triwizard Tournament. They agreed to keep four people in an enchanted sleep in their village for an hour and protect them until the champion sent to save them arrived. They watched the champions swim around with spears clutched in their hands and tried to stop Harry Potter when he tried to save more than one person. Wizarding relations Oddly enough, merpeople were not represented in the Fountain of Magical Brethren at the Ministry of Magic. This could not be simply because they have declined formal "being" status with the Ministry of Magic, because centaurs made a similar decision and were represented in the Fountain. Merpeople's relationship with wizardkind is said to be an unstable one. This could stem from a number of reasons; perhaps wizarding society looks down upon merpeople and see them as inferior. This is a common occurrence in regards to sentient creatures that are not classified as human. Despite the rocky relationship that does exist, merpeople are shown to sometimes help humans, such as agreeing to be a part of the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament. They are also capable of showing respect to wizards who have earned it, such as during the funeral of Albus Dumbledore where merpeople were present from within the Black Lake. Category:Creatures found worldwide Category:Creatures from Greece Category:Merpeople Category:Muggle-known creatures